NFL picks for week 15

Loren and I split our games again for the 4th week in a row, going 3-3. I'm now up 48-35-1 why Loren trails at 39-44-1.

 

Miami at New England

Derek - New England.The Pats are back on track after their win in San Deigo. Miami has been up and down all year and I don't think they'll have enough to beat the Pats twice this season.

Loren - New England. Miami has been a game opponent all season. Unfortunately for them, and maybe the rest of the AFC, New England found their game and look dominating again. It took Green Bay firing on all cylinders to slow them down. Can't give Miami much hope on the road.

 

Houston at Indianapolis

Derek - Indianpolis. The Colts are just a better team than the Texans. Even if the Texans can pound the rock all day and keep Luck on the run I still see TY Hilton getting is 100 yards and a TD.

Loren - Indianapolis. Win this on the road and Houston is only a game back. Perfect fantasy football watch game.

 

Cincinnati at Cleveland

Derek - Cincinnati. I'm just picked agasin't Johnny Football. Probably a bad idea.

Loren - Cincinnati. Can the flagging Bengals rain on Manziel's parade? I sure hope so.

 

Denver at San Diego

Derek - Denver. The Chargers are capple of winning this game but the Broncos have seemed to learn how to run the ball. What if they figure out how to run and pass in the same game?

Loren - Denver. Another great fantasy football watch. If Denver played more consistently this year, I'd have less stress picking them to win on the road against a dangerous offense.

 

Dallas at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia. Going with the home team in this one. Great RB matchup.

Loren - Dallas. Yeah, pick this this week and their bound to disappoint me. Argh, I hate this team.

 

New Orleans at Chicago

Derek - New Orleans. UGH. Everyweek I seem to pick the Saints. Why!

Loren - New Orleans. I had to check the weather before making this pick. If it were miserably cold or snowing, I'd have taken Chicago. But with a projected dry day in the 50s, no chance Chicago turns this into a grinder.

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NFL Week 14 Picks

Loren and I split our games again for the 3rd week in a row, going 3-3. I'm now up 45-32-1 why Loren trails at 36-41-1.

Baltimore at Miami
Derek - Miami. The Ravens have existed for years as a definsive team for years. They don't let you run on them and Miami likes to run. Problem for the Ravens is that this week and the rest of the regular season is Ngata is out. The Fins should control this one.
Loren - Miami. Both teams are 7-5 and they've both been a bit inconsistent. When in doubt, take the home team.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Derek - Pittsburgh. I think the Steelers bounce back from last weeks loss and beat the Bengals on the road. Two great WRs are in this match up and I truch Ben more than the Red Rocket.
Loren - Pittsburgh. You couldn't get me to bet on this game. Cincinnati always has a few games each year that begin to inflate their fans with hope only to have it dashed by the end of the season.

Indianapolis at Cleveland
Derek - Indianapolis. The Colts should walk all over the Browns. Doesn't matter who's playing QB for Cleveland.
Loren - Indianapolis. Only reason I might watch this game is the potential to see Manziel go down in flames. Schadenfreude can be a wonderful thing.

Kansas City at Arizona
Derek - Kansas City. Cards are on a slide and while a good team they are not the "best record" in the leauge kinda team.
Loren - Arizona. None of KC's strengths play into the Cardinals' weaknesses.

Seattle at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. Yeah not sure about this one. The travel and the up and down season are swaying me here.
Loren - Philadelphia. Am I really picking Sanchez against a good defense? I guess so.

New England at San Diego
Derek - New England. Normally I don't like teams traveling across counrty but the Pats made the trip last week after the Packer game. So that shouldn't be a problem. They also won't lose 2 in a row.Loren - San Diego. That's a really long trip to take. All things being equal, I definitely taken NE. But SD is no slouch and is playing to remain in the division lead hunt.

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NFL Week 13 picks

Loren and I split our games last week again, going 3-3. This week we're picking all three Thanksgivign games. I'm now up 42-29-1 why Loren trails at 33-38-1.

 

Chicago at Detroit

Derek - Detroit. While Detroit isn't a dominate team I can't go with Cutler right now. He's way too up an down, and more down recently.

Loren – Detroit. Chicago can’t beat good teams but have won their last two games. Detroit can’t beat good team and have lost their last two games. So…home team?

Philadelphia at Dallas

Derek - Dallas. I think you beat the Eagles by running the ball. Having the leagues leading rusher in Murray should be a good start.

Loren – Philadelphia. The point differential between these two teams is staggering and you know Kelly would like to go into Dallas and run the Cowboys out of the building. Plus, another excuse to pick against Dallas. Ugh, Dallas.

Seattle at San Francisco

Derek - Seattle. I'm not a fan of what I see out of the 49ers recently. I think Seattle will be able to move the ball on offense and control the game.

Loren – San Francisco. I’m not sold on Seattle at all. Seattle’s inconsistencies are less easily explained than the 49ers’ whose problems have stemmed primarily from injuries. While not fully healthy, they’re better off than the last few weeks.

New Orleans at Pittsburgh

Derek - Pittsburgh. The Saints cost me two in a row at home, I'm not picking them or any other NFC South team on the road.

Loren – Pittsburgh. Someone has to win the NFC South, right? Or can we all agree that the conference forfeits their playoff spot this year? Settled.

New England at Green Bay

Derek - New England. I like Green Bay, but the way the Pats are playing, I'm not holding out much hope.

Loren – New England. This should be fun.

Denver at Kansas City

Derek - Denver. Denver is a very good team with some large flaws, but right now they seem to put it together win they need it. Also no one seems to want to gaurd Thomas in the red zone.

Loren – Denver. Did the second half against the Dolphins shake loose the cobwebs for the Broncos? Will CJ Anderson lock down starting back duties with another performance like last week? Will Alex Smith throw a ball further than 6 yards? Hopefully, probably, and no.

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NFL Week 12 Picks

Loren and I split our games last week going 3-3. This puts me at 39-26-1 why Loren trails at 30-35-1.

Miami at Denver
Derek - Miami. Do I really think Miami will win? No but this is  Derek's team versus Loren's team game and I just have to go with my guys!
Loren – Denver. How different things begin look after the last two weeks. Suddenly there are questions about Denver’s depth and resilience coping with injuries. This week, they get the second best rated defense. Miami’s numbers are skewed by playing Buffalo (twice), Oakland, KC and Jacksonville. On the other hand, they did shut down Brady, Cutler and Rivers. No way to predict this, but Miami’s offense matches up poorly with Denver’s D. I’m taking the home team.

Detroit at New England
Derek - New England.The Pats are just chewing through people right now and I don't see that stopping for awhile. Probably the playoffs.
Loren – New England. Detroit has a puncher’s chance and a great ground defense. But the Pats don’t lose at home and have too many offensive dimensions.

Cincinnati at Houston
Derek - Houston. I think the Houston D will have a decent day against the up and doooowwwwnnnnn Andy Dolton.
Loren – Houston. Seems like I just can’t get a Cincy game right this year. So you should expect them to win by 40.

Arizona at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. I'm going with the home team here. Arizona has been playing well enough to win games but I think they'll split the season sereies with the home team each winning one.
Loren – Seattle. With Palmer in there for consistency, I’d have taken Arizona. Probably time for him to hang up the cleats while he can still walk.

Dallas at New York Giants
Derek - Dallas. The Cowboys will run the ball 35+ times and control this game from the begining.
Loren – Giants. Whatever. I’m not taking Dallas.

Baltimore at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Won't take the Saints if they're on the road anymore but they're at home for this one and the Raven, while a quality team won't handle Graham.
Loren – New Orleans. Everyone thought they were back. This could be the most inconsistent frustrating year for gamblers. Seriously, there have to be a lot of desperate dudes in over their heads this year. Why New Orleans? Why not?

 

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NFL Week 11 Picks

Loren and I only differed on one game last week and although I had to pick agasint my team I extended my lead with a solid 5-1 week. This puts me at 36-23-1 why Loren trails at 27-32-1.

Cincinnati at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Last week I stuck with the Saints at home and lost, but I'm goin gto give them some love again. The way Dolton played last week can't be overlooked and he needs to show something this week before you can feel confident with Cincinnati again.
Loren - New Orleans. Good god that division sucks. Looks like the Saints have solved some of their early season woes and get the struggling Bengals as reward.

San Francisco at N.Y. Giants
Derek - San Francisco. I don't like picking teams traveling across country but the 49ers just won in NO and that's a better team and tougher environment crowd wise. The 49ers also have to keep winning in order to make the playoffs.
Loren - San Francisco. Yeah yeah, west coast team traveling across the country blah blah. Have you seen the Giants? What a mess! Can't take the last ranked defense against even a mediocre team.

Seattle at Kansas City
Derek - Seattle. I could go either way on this game. But I just think Seattle can do a bit more than the Chiefs in all three phases. Then again Arrowhead is a tough place to play. I'm grasping at straws here.
Loren - Seattle. Look, twinsies! Both teams with decent defenses, excellent ground games and a complete lack of ability to throw the ball. An important, but likely boring, game. Again, taking the better defense.

Detroit at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. Detroit seems to pull of a lot of close ones but so do the Cards, I'll go with the home team and a who knows what you get back up QB.
Loren - Detroit. Would have taken the Cardinals here if Palmer was healthy. Still could be a coin flip game, and Bush is out, but Detroit should be able to chuck it successfully.

Philadelphia at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. Should be a good one, but the way Rodgers is playing makes me think even other good offensive teams won't be able to stay with the Pack.
Loren - Green Bay. Potentially the best matchup all weekend. I'm taking the home team, but only because they're the home team.

New England at Indianapolis.
Derek - Indianapolis. I think Luck will outduel Brady and will see the first one to 35 win this game.
Loren - New England. The Colts actually look better on paper but the Pats are killing it lately. Not that the Colts have been slouches. It just feels like Brady is back to some degree and he has the Colts number.

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NFL Week 10 Picks

Another solid week for me going 5-1, but Loren keeps falling behind with a 2-4 record last week. This puts me at 31-22-1 why Loren trails by a game at 23-30-1.

Miami at Detroit
Derek - Detroit. If the game was in Miami I'd take the Dolphns but even as a fan I don't see them as a playoff team and the return of Megatron could be big.
Loren - Miami. An upset special here. I like the way Miami is playing and their defense is really clicking. Dome game means their offense doesn't have to deal with the weather.

San Francisco at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Saints at home and the 49ers are stumbling. How else are the Saints going to win the division with 8-9 wins if they don't win their home games. :)
Loren - New Orleans. Even though San Francisco is getting healthier on defense and is a dangerous team, New Orleans has the momentum and home field advantage. Manning tore apart the Niners this season, I expect Brees to do much of the same.

St. Louis at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. I'm not sure the Cardinals are planning to lose any more games. They're not the best team but they just keep winning. The Rams arn't an easy out but they can't beat the entire division back to back to back...can they?
Loren - Arizona. St Louis sure looks energized the last few games. Unfortunately, the Cardinals are waiting. May not even be close.
New York Giants at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Giants going across the country to play a far superior team? Good luck Eli!
Loren - Seattle. Boy, things will get ugly in Seattle if the Seahawks blow this one. I'd kind of like to see that, actually. Probably won't happen, but I'll definitely be paying attention to this game.

Chicago at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. Packer were playing well heading into their bye week last week. I don't for see any slow starts here and lots of fantasy points will be put up in this one.
Loren - Green Bay. Chicago is a confusing damn team. Loads of talent, lots of yards, little to show for it. Forte is having a great year but everything else is completely schizophrenic. Another game that could be terribly fun to watch.

Carolina at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. If the Panthers are going to win they better hope that their D comes to the game as they thought it would have all year long. Don't let Sanchez beat you. Of course I'm sure that's why they have that McCoy guy.
Loren - Philadelphia. Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing here. What's the over/under on Sanchez interceptions? Carolina has a fighting chance.

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NFL Week 9 Picks

Now we're seeing the better picker seperate. I went 5-1 last week while Loren went 1-5. This puts me at 26-21-1 why Loren trails by a game at 21-26-1.

 

San Diego at Miami

Derek - Miami. Both of these teams seem to be up and down, but the Dolphins are always good for a win at home against a decent west coast teams. They won't turn it over as much as they're prone to do and Miller will get over 100 yards and lead them to victory.

Loren - Miami. I was ready to take San Diego until I realized the teams they've beaten are a combined 11-24. San Diego's signature win so far is against 4-3 Seattle at home. Doesn't sound much like a dark horse Super Bowl contender.

Arizona at Dallas

Derek - Arizona. Since Romo's out then the Cowboys will be way too much one diminstional. Murray's been good but already shoulders too much of the load. If your a Dallas fan your hope here is that you walk out of this game healthy.

Loren - Arizona. Having the lone blemish on your record be a loss to Denver isn't such a bad thing. With Romo out, the D-line can stack the box and try to lock down Murray.

Philadelphia at Houston

Derek - Philadelphia. The Eagles should be able to score enough to make Houston throw it and when the QB is a hairy Fitzpatrick that can only be good...for the defense.

Loren - Houston. I still don't know what to expect from the Eagles. Like San Diego, they'e proven they can beat the bad teams. Do they have an extra dimension to call on, a winning spirit to help them in tough games against tough teams? This matchup should help answer that question. Houston plays their best at home and you can bet Foster is looking forward to the sub-par Eagle's D.

St. Louis at San Francisco

Derek - San Francisco. The bye week came at a good time for the 49ers. They can regroup and get a bit healthier. They also get a home game agaisnt a middling Rams team. They should control the ball from the opening kick off.

Loren - San Francisco. With a chance to get healthier through their bye week, San Francisco should come out and blow the doors off St Louis.

Denver at New England

Derek - New England. Yeah no idea, it's in the snow and both teams like to pass...so. I picked agasint Loren's team, that's how I do.

Loren - Denver. Big, big game. Brady and the Pats look back on target and enjoy playing the foil to whatever team Manning is leading. But you still have to consider that the Pats barely beat the Jets and Raiders and have lost to the Dolphins and Chiefs. The Broncos have been more consistent and they have a defense that can actually make a difference in games.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Derek - Pittsburgh. Not sure about this one either, but I've done ok picking agaisnt the Ravens, so I'll keep it up. Brown is a stud at WR and I hope Fat Ben uses him well.

Loren - Baltimore. What a mess the AFC North is. You have a 4-2-1 team at the top of the standings because no one else has been able to put it all together and pull away. Even with the Steeler's offensive output last week, the Ravens have scored more points and allowed far fewer. Have to follow the stats in this one.

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NFL Week 8 Picks

Loren and I only picked 1 game different last week and it was looking good for me until the Saints gave up two TD's in the last 3 mins. I knew I shouldn't have taken them on the road. This leaves me at 21-20-1 why Loren trails by a game at 20-21-1.

Seattle at Carolina
Derek - Even though this is a cross country trip and the Seahawks look down a bit I'm thinking they bounce back big and take care of an under preforming Panthers team.

Loren - Carolina. Long trip east for an early game and doubts abound for the Seahawks. Seattle's short yardage passing D has been terrible this year. If the home team can control the clock and get a decent day from their defense, Carolina pulls the upset.

 

Baltimore at Cincinnati

 

Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals have to get going here and I think this is one of those AFC North games where you don't know what's going to happen and are still surprised.

Loren - Baltimore. Are we supposed to be surprised that the Ravens are good this year? Perhaps we just hoped that karma would smack the team from top to bottom. Regardless, Cincy's D isn't going to help. I don't think they're disciplined enough to win a close game.

 

Chicago at New England

 

Derek - New England. The Pats seem to be back, dang it, and look to be one of the better teams int he AFC, darn it, and should be able to beat a very inconsistent Bears team at home. Another ho hum game for the Pats.

Loren - New England. Wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago reinvigorated from their post-game meltdown. Sometimes those episodes have a way of focusing a team. Unfortunately, the Pats are still an elite level team. I wonder what Marshall will do for an encore.

 

Philadelphia at Arizona

Derek - Arizona. This is one where I'm taking the home team on a near cross country trip. Their D is good and the Eagles have yet to get a running game going. I the Cards will handle the Philly O just fine.

Loren - Philadelphia. Coming off a bye week and healthy, I think the Eagle's offense is ready to put on a show.

 

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh

Derek - Indianapolis. The Colts are good the Steelers are...who knows, another inconsistent team. But they are dangerous, but not dangerous enough.

Loren - Indianapolis. Denver winning and Dallas losing are the only football related thing that makes me happier than Pittsburgh losing. Also, I need a big game from Luck to help me stay undefeated in Derek's fantasy football league. Isn't that right, Derek?

 

Green Bay at New Orleans

Derek - New Orleans. Again! why am I doing this? Well at least they're at home.

Loren - Green Bay. The Packers are on a roll. They've won four straight and the mess that is the Saints are going to beat them? Not feeling that. Wait, did the Saints replace their entire defense? No? Then Packers it is.

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Quick World Series Prediction

We tend to only update this blog with predictions. So we'll keep it up with a really quick World Series prediction.

Derek - One of the perks of being a Dodgers fan is knowing the Giants suck. I hate them. Go Royals! As far as a prediction goes, I'm saying the Royals in 5 with 2 extra inning wins.

Loren - How can you bet against the Giants? Been there done that. The Royals are a great story but this feels like a bad ending is in store for them.

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NFL Week 7 picks

Another steller week of picks last week. Not. Remeber that? Remember when eveyone said "Not" after they said something obviously untrue. Ahh good times. Anyway I went 2-3-1 (a tie? really?) and Loren when 1-4-1. This leaves me at 17-18-1 why Loren trails by 2 games at 15-20-1.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. The Bengals were looking good this year then dropped the big game to New England. But does that make them a bad team no, but they are without AJ Green and Luck has been playing at an MVP level. Can The Colts D step up? No but they can do enough to keep Cincinnati to 24 points or less.
Loren - Indianapolis. Which good but fatally flawed team emerges victorious? Meh. Unless one of them fixes their weaknesses, there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

New Orleans at Detroit
Derek - New Orleans. Ugh, what am I doing picking any NFC South team on the road? Especcialy the Saints. But they Have Grahm playing and Detroit is without Megatron again. The Saints have to win on the road once this year...right?
Loren - Detroit. Barely beating Tampa last week doesn't fill me with confidence in the Saints' chances.

Carolina at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. Carlonia seems to flip flop and the Packers are good but not great. I'll give the advantage to the home team.
Loren - Green Bay. Yet another crap shoot game this week. Neither defense looks up to the task of containing the other team. Could be the most entertaining game of the weekend.

Kansas City at San Diego
Derek - San Diego. The Chargers seem to be the darling of the NFL right now. Lots of love for Rivers and company. And the Chiefs haven't been consitant all year. Until they are I'm going with the Chargers.
Loren - San Diego. Who thought SD would be in first in the AFC West? When firing on all cylinders, the Chiefs can grind out wins. They haven't been firing on any cylinders.

New York Giants at Dallas
Derek - Dallas. Dallas has been rolling, well Murray has been rolling and that seems to be enough. They shouldn't have much problem with the Giants.
Loren - Dallas. If the Giants are going to be relevant, they've got to beat Dallas. Please, for all of us, beat Dallas.

San Francisco at Denver
Derek - Denver. Going with the home team. I don't think Kap will have the same type of game he had last week and their running game isn't as good as it has been in the past.
Loren - Denver. Man, this matchup worries me. Theoretically, SF can slow the game down and keep Denver's offense off. And if Denver doesn't sort out their late game defense, they're going to lose games against good teams.

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NFL week 6 picks.

Derek's on vacation so no recaps on his picks this week.

New England at Buffalo

Derek - New England. On vacation.

Loren - New England. Return to form for the Pats? Another road win would help them make their case. The Patriot's pass D is scary good. 

Carolina at Cincinnati

Derek - Cincinnati.

Loren - Cincinnati. Carolina in a physical road game against a good team? Not buying it this week. 

Pittsburgh at Cleveland

Derek - Pittsburgh.

Loren - Pittsburgh. As potentially revitalized as the Browns may be, I don't think their run D is up to the task. 

Chicago at Atlanta

Derek - Atlanta.

Loren - Atlanta. Which hot mess of a team to pick? The hot mess playing at home. 

Dallas at Seattle

Derek - Seattle.

Loren - Seattle. Doesn't this feel like the kind of game that psychologically breaks Romo for the rest of the season?

New York Giants at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia.

Loren - NY Giants. Gotta go with the hot hand. There should be a lot of points scored, though, and this might be the most entertaining game of the week. 

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NFL Week 5 picks

Still not a great week for us. But I did go 3-3 while Loren went 1-5. This gives me a 1 game lead for the first time this season. Derek 10-14, Loren 9-15.

Chicago at Carolina
Derek - Carolina. The Panthers and the Bears have had up and down seasons so far. But I think the Panthers offense can handle the Bears D easily at home and score in the high 20's. Forte won't have a good game in this one.
Loren – Chicago. The Panthers are hurt on offense and near the cellar in run defense. On defense, Chicago sits back on routes knowing that Cam has to throw the ball. On offense, they can abuse Carolina’s tackles or get it to Forte in the flat and let him do his thing. If Chicago gets out to an early lead, that just plays even more into their hand.

Atlanta at New York Giants
Derek - New York Giants. What am I doing with this pick? The Giants? Oh wait they're playing a NFC South team at home. Nevermind nuff said. I think the NFC South could combine teams and still not win on the road.
Loren – New York Giants. Don’t bet against Eli on a roll. Both teams should have crazy numbers through the air, but Atlanta’s defense is absolutely putrid. Slight edge there to NY plus factor in playing at home and you can see another confounding loss for the Falcons.

Houston at Dallas
Derek - Dallas. DeMarco Murray has been a machine so far this year. If he can keep it up the Texans have no answer. They don't throw it well and they have to stuff Foster down your throat just to have a chance.
Loren – Dallas. What a difference a running back makes. I’m still not sold on Dallas and if DeMarco Murray goes down, so do the Cowboys. But Romo does a convincing impression of an effective QB when defenses have to bring seven up front or risk getting gouged. Houston has been playing solid, but they’ve also had a cream puff schedule. We’ll see who they really are over the next 5 weeks (Dallas, Indy, Pittsburgh, Philly).

Baltimore at Indianapolis
Derek - Inianapolis. The Colts are rolling right now. Luck might be the top MVP canadate and their D is doing ok. Imagine if they could actually run. Either way they have enough to get past the Ravens.
Loren – Indianapolis. There’s room for Luck to sling the ball against a pretty weak Raven’s secondary. The question is whether Indy’s defense can hold on. They’ve played to good teams and lost, albeit closely. They’ve played two terrible teams and won in blowouts. I give Indy the nod based on home field advantage and not much more.

Kansas City at San Francisco
Derek - San Francisco. I'm going with the home team this time. KC played a hell of a game on Monday night but they won't have an easy of time in the Bay. Still this will be a close one but the 49ers O will previeal.
Loren – San Francisco. What was that talk of a depleted 49ers defense? Well, they’re giving up points, but not giving up yards. It’s early enough in the season for these irregularities to be present, but you’d have to a stingy defense will eventually start keeping teams out of the end zone. A home game against a one dimensional team is just what the doctor ordered.

Cincinnati at New England
Derek - Cincinnati. This would be a game that NE wins but not this year. Are we finally seeing the end of the dynasty? As a Dolphin fan I hope so but as a footbal fan...yeah I still hope so.
Loren – Cincinnati. Quiet, efficient Cincy. They’re not dazzling, they’re not flashy, but they are effective. I almost feel sorry for Brady. Almost.

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NFL Week 4 picks

Another bad week for both Loren and I. I had a terrible 1-5 record and Loren was able to pull one ahead by going 2-4. Right now Loren leads with an 8-10 record and I'm sitting at 7-11.

 

Green Bay at Chicago

Derek - Green Bay. The Pack have to turn it around here soon. There O is just too good to be playing this poorly. The bears have been good and bad and I expect a good game.

Loren - Chicago. Yeah, the Bears are up and down. I give them the edge at home.

 

Tennessee at Indianapolis

Derek - Indianapolis. Tennessee ain't that good. I'll give this one to the Colts. Their offense is rolling and Luck should have another big game.

Loren - Indianapolis. Who would have thought this could be an important early season match up? Indy at home, big, to stake a claim.

 

Carolina at Baltimore

Derek - Baltimore. Not sure why I'm picking the Ravens here but They seem like a team that's not going to fall apart and be part of the convo for the playoffs. I see a hard fought win.

Loren - Carolina. Big game for both teams. Gut says Carolina is playing with a chip on their shoulder. Could be surprisingly good.

 

Atlanta at Minnesota

Derek - Atlanta. The Falcons have had a couple of extra days off and are brimming with confidence. The Vikings have nothing going for them expect you get to see their rookie QB earlier than expected.

Loren - Atlanta. Too bad the Bridgewater era opens with a firm home loss.

 

Philadelphia at San Francisco

Derek - San Francisco. If this was anywhere but SF I'd take Philly. But they've been living on the edge and I don't see a 1-3 start for the 49ers.

Loren - San Francisco. This is probably the closest call this week. But Philly has been playing behind. A good team will eventually make you pay.

 

New Orleans at Dallas

Derek - New Orleans. Nothing like curing your road woes then playing the Cowboys D.

Loren - New Orleans. Nothing like a Dallas home loss to cheer me up.

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Week 3 NFL Picks

Bad week for both Loren and I. Loren got one game right but I couldn't gain much ground as I got 2 correct. But this does bring me to a tie. Both of us have 6-6 records.

San Diego at Buffalo
Derek - Buffalo. Classic west coast team traveling to the east coast. I think you could make an easy living picking these games stright up. I'm still not sold on Buffalo but I think they're a good defensive team who can control the ball.
Loren – San Diego. Ah, the early part of the season when you have no clue what you’ll get from certain teams. Are the Chargers the team that resoundingly beat the Seahawks last week or the team that couldn’t get anything going against the Cardinals in week 1? Is that one point loss to the Cardinals more impressive now that the Cardinals are now 2-0 with an east coast win? How strong are Buffalo’s wins? For me, I see San Diego as a veteran team less likely to make mistakes, and the Bills have to come back to earth at some point. The Chargers can take advantage of a team that might be suffering from early season inflated hopes.

Green Bay at Detroit
Derek - Green Bay. I think Green Bay just ahs the better team all around but this could go either way...first one to 40?
Loren – Green Bay. Flip a coin and hope for a barn burner.

San Francisco at Arizona
Derek - San Francisco. Who's the starting QB for Arizona? If Vernon Davis is healthy this could be a double digit win. The 49ers D hasn't dropped off as some thought. I'll stick with them...for now.
Loren – San Francisco. Yeah, the Bears made the Niners look silly for a quarter. The Niners were fairly in control up to that point, though, and a bad quarter does not make a season. They’re still a more dynamic team than the Cardinals, even if their defense may have lost some potency.

Denver at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Forget the Super Bowl, forget the Seahawks D and the Broncos O. This is the best home field advantage in the NFL and the crowd will get to see the home team win another.
Loren – Seattle. Wow, this really pains me. I’d like to think the Broncos learned their lessons about crowd noise and preparation. I’d like to think the Broncos are a stronger team since the last meeting. I’d like to think that Seattle’s going to be full of doubt after being embarrassed by San Diego. What I really think is that Manning won’t be able to audible effectively and they’ll have trouble running consistently. Meantime, Seattle’s going to be looking to bounce back and they just happen to be at home and playing a team they know they can beat. Prove me wrong, Broncos.

Kansas City at Miami
Derek - Miami. Not sure what to expect from either team. This would could be a blow out either way or a close one. I'll be a homer here and pick my team and hope the O can produce more consistant drives.
Loren – Miami. So much is in question for this game. Will Charles play? Can Miller step in and produce with Moreno out? Which QB will give more fuel to the doubters? Could the Dolphins be a more confounding team? When in doubt, take east coast home team, not the visitor with a long trip.

Pittsburgh at Carolina
Derek - Carolina. Can the Panthers repeat last years preformance? Are the Steelers to old and going downhill? I bet on both is yes.
Loren – Carolina. The Panthers’ performance against the Lions was a little more what we expected of them this year. Cam Newton was making plays, the defense was opportunistic, and they didn’t let the opponent off the mat.  They’ll need to establish some kind of running game to keep Newton healthy through the season.

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Week 2 NFL Picks

Well my Green Bay over the Seahawks gamble didn't pay off last week. I have a 4-2 record and Loren has a 5-1 record after the first week.

Miami at Buffalo
Derek - Miami. I'm a pessimistic Dolphin fan, but they showed me something last week. The Pats normally crush the Phins and it looked like it was going to happen again. But Miami dominated the second half, running over the Pats D and chasing Brady all around the field.
Loren – Buffalo. I’m going to need to see consistency from Miami before I take them against a team that beat the Bears in Chicago last week. Buffalo’s D will be better than expected and if Manuel can limit turnovers, Miami will have a hard time staying in this game.

New England at Minnesota
Derek - New England. Yes, Loren picked before AP was deactivated. But so did I. The Pats don't lose two in a row and not to Matt Cassel.
Loren – Minnesota. Too many options for a thin New England defense to contain. This feels like a down year for the Pats while the Vikings have young talent, confidence, and can still fall back on AP as needed.

Atlanta at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. Tough one, but I'm going to go with the team that has a defense. I expect a high scoring game but the Bengals at home should have enough juice to pull out a victory.
Loren – Atlanta. What a match up! If this was played in Atlanta, I wouldn’t think twice about taking the Falcons. But we haven’t seen them play on the road this year and this is a difficult first test. I expect, though, that the Falcons will have the Bengals defense spinning by the end of the game. Who do you cover? Whoever you choose, you’ll eventually get burned.

Detroit at Carolina
Derek - Detroit. Lets see if the Lions O can move against the Panthers D. This is a game of strength against strength and weakness against weakness. I just think the Panthers aren't up to last years standards and they might only score 10 points.
Loren – Detroit. Detroit would not let up against the Giants. If they continue to make use of all their offensive capabilities while being opportunistic on defense, there won’t be a lot of teams that can take them down. Doesn’t figure that a weakened Panthers team would be one of them.

Chicago at San Francisco
Derek - San Francisco. I was thinking the bears would have a great team this year, but after watching the inconsistent plays last week I can't buy into them yet. The 49ers while down on D this year comparatively should still have enough at home to be the Bears by double digits.
Loren – San Francisco. Are there two veteran QBs more inconsistent than Romo and Cutler? At least they’re consistently inconsistent. The 49ers handled Romo last week, I anticipate they’ll be up to the task of limiting Cutler’s chances. I foresee more Cutler pouty bro-face…

Philadelphia at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. Which team will need to comeback in this game. I'm going with the home team but I expect to see a lot of fire works.
Loren – Indianapolis. It took them a while to get rolling, but Indy’s offense eventually started looking legit against Denver last week. Same goes for Philly, but their efforts were against Jacksonville. I’ll take the team the slugged it out with the Broncos over the team that needed a comeback against the Jags.

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Week 1 NFL Picks

Sure the NFL is back, but that just means we're back to blogging and will start our weekly 6 pack of picks. Who will win this year? Me of course.

 

Green Bay at Seattle

Derek - Green Bay. Yeah! Right off the bat. More of a shot in the dark pick. Do have good reasons? Sure how about Ole Aaron. I might lose this one but I got to pick a dark horse at some point.

Loren – Seattle. Lots of talk about Seattle’s defense declining, the ability of Russell Wilson to grow into an elite QB, Lynch running on dead legs, defending SB champs dropping off a cliff the following year. I’m not buying it. Seattle’s D is as nasty as the players on it, and they’re nasty. Wilson completed 63% for 3,300 and a 29/9 TD/INT ratio last year, and his receiving corps is better. While Lynch may be past his prime (uncertain), I’m considering Seattle one of the best 2014 teams until proven otherwise.

New Orleans at Atlanta

Derek - New Orleans. I think the Falcons will be a good team this year but I think the Saints outscore almost everyone.

Loren – New Orleans. I’m hoping for a barn burner of a game. We might see both QBs throw over 350 yards. But if you had to pick one of these teams to implode and beat themselves, which would it be? Exactly.

Indianapolis at Denver

Derek - Denver. Home team gets the win here. We'll see if the Broncos offense is the same as last year but the Colts minus Luck aren't a good team.

Loren – Denver. I think Indy has a puncher’s chance here. I expect them to be on the better side of mediocre this season, possibly even legitimately good. But opening in Denver against that offense is brutal. The Bronco’s D may actually get some respect this year, too. Not sure this one is even close.

Cincinnati at Baltimore

Derek - Cincinnati. Don't care for the Ravens much and I'm picking the Bengals to win the division. Good place to start.

Loren – Cincinnati. Two middling to decent teams that should be fighting, with a middling to decent Pittsburgh team, for the division crown. That tells you the state of the AFC North. Dalton or Flacco? Bernard or Pierce? Who knows? Who cares? Edge to Cincy’s D.

San Francisco at Dallas

Derek - San Francisco. The Cowboys D is pretty darn bad. I'll take the 49ers by 10. Cap will have his breakout season this year.

Loren – San Francisco. This is a potentially challenging road opening for SF, but this is Dallas. We’re talking about Dallas, man. How silly is that? And we’re talking about Dallas. I’m not shoving it aside like it don’t mean anything. But we’re talking about Dallas.

Washington at Houston

Derek - Houston. I think Houston will make the playoffs this year and They'll start the season off right by beating a happless Washington team.

Loren – Houston. Blame Derek for having this one on the sched. Fitzpatrick is adequate and has more weapons than in previous stops. Houston’s D will be menacing, and their schedule is a cakewalk. Meanwhile, the Oracle of Delphi couldn’t tell you what’s going on with Washington.

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Game 6...

I had the pleasure to attend the Blazer vs Rockets game 6. I'm not sure what to say and it's been two full days now. I could write all about the game, the crowd, the lead up...but no...it's all about one play, one second...well almost a second. In that 0.9 My emotions went from a high level distraught to a inability to breath (I'm assuming I shared that with 20,000 other people) to jubilation. 

At this point I with I had taken some film or more pics of that play, but all I have is some pics after wards. See below. This might be the next great Portland memory. On April 23, 2012 I wrote a 1 year annivsary post about Brandon Roy's 23 point comeback against Dallas in the playoffs. It seems like along time ago but it's great to have that feeling again.

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Super Bowl Picks

Well as we wrap up the season Loren gained one game on me last week going 2-0 while I lost the 49er/Seahawk game. 74-37-1 to 54-55-1.

Denver vs Seattle

Derek - Denver. Pure and simple I don't think the Seahawks will score enough points to win the game, Will they hold Denver below their average? I think so but I don't think it'll be enough. I hope for a good one but think we'll see some ugliness in the first half before the Broncos pull away. 

Loren - Denver. How often do you get to pick your home team in the Super  Bowl? By my count, six times in my lifetime. Wow, that makes me feel bad for KC, Philly, the Jets...maybe not that last one. Denver's D had the chance to rest up and get healthy. Good thing, too, since that will decide the game. If they are consistently strong on 3rd down, the offense will have enough chances to score. Denver in an entertaining game but pulling away late. 

As for the Omahas, if you're Peyton Manning, aren't you a little tempted to have someone bet the Omaha line for you? After all, he's in control of the Omahas. I'm pretty sure he could have as many or few as he wants. He could have a friend's cousin's sister-in-law put a few hundred k down and split evenly. I know, ridiculous. But still...

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Conference Championship Week

A nice 4-0 week was one better than Loren. 73-36-1 to 52-55-1.

San Francisco at Seattle
Derek - San Francisco. What am I doing!?!?! Well I think I'm taking the hotter team. And Arizona did show that Seattle can be beaten at home. Plus isn't it an NFL rule that one of the Superbowl teams will have to win every game on the road to get there?
Loren – Seattle. I see Wilson as less mistake prone than Kaepernick, especially when you factor in the stadium and the noise the fans generate. Seattle’s D is consistently good while San Francisco’s comes and goes. Plus, I really want to see an old AFC West matchup in the Super Bowl. Which leads me to…

New England at Denver
Derek - Denver. I've watched the Pats all year and I just don't think they should be in the Superbowl? Something about them doesn't say best team or even elite team this year. I'll have to go with the best team all hear in Denver. 
Loren – Denver. Broncos v. Seahawks! Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Pats beat the Broncos during the season via an improbable second half surge and a complete Denver meltdown. I don’t see that happening again and the home field might make all the difference. Manning has the tools to manage the game effectively against a defense that isn’t nearly as strong as their previous championship runs. Brady will probably make swiss cheese out of a horrible Denver secondary, and I’m getting nauseous thinking about Keenan Allen eating Quentin Jammer’s lunch last week, but will the Pats be able to stop the Broncos at 5,280 feet?

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NFL Divisional Playoff Picks

Not a great week for either of us. I was 2-2 and Loren was 1-3. 69-36-1 to 49-54-1.

Saturday
New Orleans at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. The Saints will put up a better show than they did the first time they made the trek to the NW, but that still doesn't mean they'll win. Seattle is a heck of a team and as long as they run the ball they'll win.
Loren - Seattle. Too much ball control, a secondary that's too fast and can play man, a line that doesn't leak, and just enough offense means Seattle gets a trip to the NFC title game.  
Indianapolis at New England
Derek - New England. The Colts can't play in the first half like they did last week and expect to win. you can't turn the ball over to the Pats.
Loren - New England. I don't think New England has a title ready team, but they've got enough to take out an inexperienced Indy squad.  

Sunday
San Francisco at Carolina
Derek - San Francisco. This could be a close low scoring game, but I think the 49ers playoff experience an coaching will be enough to eek out a close one. 
Loren - Carolina. Upset special!  Or more likely just another in a long string of embarrassing picks. Anyway, after seeing SF's D struggle to contain a damaged Packers squad, I like Carolina's chances after an extra week to get ready to host a home game.  
San Diego at Denver
Derek - Denver. The Chargers don't have anything to loose, but the Broncos are by far the better team and have an extra weeks rest/Manning prep time for this one.
Loren  - Denver. Like I'm not going to take Denver? However, the Chargers have the right kind of pass oriented offense to take advantage of Denver's weakness. This could be a nail biter. 

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NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks

Well Loren picked up 2 games on me the last week of the regular season. 67-34-1 to 48-51-1.

Saturday
Kansas City at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. I"m picking Mr. Hyde...or is Dr. Jekyll, well heck I guess that's the point, you don't know who you're getting with the Colts. But I think they have one win in them for the playoffs and don't be surprised if there are multiple lead changes in the second half of this game.
Loren – Kansas City. I think resting their starters last week was a good idea. They earned the trip and couldn’t impact their seeding with a win. This means most of the offensive and defensive first units are going to be rested and healthy. KC needs that defense to get back some early season mojo and their offense to control the clock. I think they do both.

New Orleans at Philadelphia. The Saints are just a different team on the road then at home. Add in winter conditions and the need to run you just have to go with the Eagles. 
Derek - Philadelphia.
Loren – Philadelphia. It’s cold, and that favors the team that can run. That ain’t the Saints. I don’t see the Saints being capable of sustained drives without dropped balls, fumbles, wind-forced errors, etc.

Sunday
San Diego at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals have the D and home field. The only thing they don't have is a QB who is consistent. But hey just throw a jump ball to AJ Green and that should be enough.
Loren – Cincinnati. If you’re the Chargers and you barely beat the Chiefs’ second stringers last week, how positive are you feeling about your team right now? I always give Rivers a puncher’s chance, but Cincy has the talent on both sides to make life miserable for the Chargers.

San Francisco at Green Bay
Derek - San Francisco. Not sure why I'm picking the 49ers other than they're the better team. Sounds strange but that might not be enough. On the road and Rodgers is back, the Pack could go deep.
Loren – San Francisco. It makes me really nervous taking San Francisco after the Superman routine Rodgers pulled last week. Should you ever count Rodgers out? Well, San Francisco has a top-shelf defense, so they’ve got that going for them. Kaepernick can run circles around the Packers’ D, too. This is the Niners game for the taking.

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